Motherhood

Apr
11

dreams do come true

A couple weeks ago, I had a unique opportunity to do something special for one of my favorite people, my nine-year-old son. I was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of his, at least that's what he told me.

I let him drink straight from the big 'ol orange soda bottle. Cool, right? That boy of mine likes to dream big.

I'm pretty sure the soda was very flat, but that didn't seem to matter. He drained every last drop. And he enjoyed it. I enjoyed it, too.

Best of all, I was able to show my kiddo how much I love him. It's easy to get so caught up in folding the laundry and washing the dishes (and the six million other things I need to do in a day), that I forget to make my kids smile. I forget that, while dishes are forever, childhood is just for a moment. I forget that love is about much more than teaching homeschool lessons, making meals, and giving a kiss good-nite. Sometimes love is about letting your kid drink from a two-liter bottle of leftover orange cola.

What is something that would make one of your kids smile today?

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Mar
07

pre-sick prep

Last evening my husband came down with the stomach flu. Yuck!  He suffered with it through the night, and he looked rather pitiful for most of today....not a sight we're used to seeing around here.

Unfortunately, I doubt that my hubby will be the only sick, pitiful member of this family before the week is over. These things don't tend to go away quickly. Since I'm slightly paranoid about catching a stomach bug, I've washed my hands countless times today and have only eaten small amounts of food at a time, just in case. I'm dreading what the next few days may bring.

But besides keeping myself clean, hydrated, and empty, I've also used this day to prepare for the coming doom. Whenever I feel an illness coming on or know that one is likely to hit, I try to be intentional with the time I have before I'm either knocked out on the sofa or playing nurse. Or both. 

Here are some pre-sick tasks I find helpful:

DO THE TO-DO'S NOW-I like to take a look at my weekly plan to see if there are any tasks important enough to be done ahead of time. I'll run errands, pay bills, and make phone calls now instead of hoping for the time and energy later. 

GO SHOPPING-I'll make a quick grocery trip to stock up on the usual sick supplies:  Sprite, crackers, juice, Popsicles, fever medicine, tissues, paper towels and disinfecting wipes. I also might grab some frozen pizzas and boxes of mac & cheese so I don't have to work too hard for dinner if I'm sick while the family is still well (and hungry). 

WASH THE LAUNDRY (ALL OF IT)-As much as possible, I'll take care of all the dirty clothes today. I may need the washing machine for icky jammies and germ-infested sheets in the coming days. 

COOK AHEAD-I'm making a big pot of chicken soup for dinner, preparing extra pasta with lunch, and cooking up some homemade applesauce.  I want to have things in the fridge that can be heated up or dished out easily for meals and snacks. 

THINK OF ENTERTAINMENT-This is the time to stop by the library, search for favorites on Netflix, look for forgotten coloring books. If the kids are sick, they'll need some distractions. If I'm sick, they'll need some distractions. 

Well, that's what I have planned for the next few days. Maybe all of this planning will be for nothing. No sick kids. No nights spent in the bathroom. No scrubbing floors or washing sheets. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I feel tired and a bit queasy. But I think it's all in my head. I hope!

UPDATE:  It has begun. Before I could get this published, it hit the first of the kids. Hard. I suppose it's going to pick us off one by one. Thankfully, I'm usually spared until the last child had thrown up on me and the final load of dirty sheets has been tossed into the machine. Ahhh....something to look forward to.

This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday. 

Jan
26

true beauty

As I sat in the waiting room of the orthodontics clinic the other day, I observed one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. She wasn't twenty-something. She wasn't a size two. She wasn't tall with flowing hair and sexy clothes. By most people's standards, she was not a head-turner. She was pretty, but not a worldly beauty.

Still, I was mesmerized.  I could hardly take my eyes off her. I tried not to stare, but she was glowing.

This beautiful woman was there with her husband, a baby girl, an older teenage boy, and twin teenage girls. After a couple of minutes, her twins' challenges became evident. They spoke too loudly and were easily distressed. At times, one of them would touch her mom's face, beg to hold hands, or ask repeatedly for the same unmet request.

Yet every frustrating situation was met with a smile.  It seemed to be a joy to watch over and discipline her kids. She answered them with cheerful firmness, and they were surprisingly well behaved.  She calmly insisted on their obedience, and they cooperated, even when it obviously went against their nature.  She didn't threaten or bribe.  She didn't give in or allow them to have their own way. And that smile never left her face, not even for a minute.

I don't think I've ever seen a better example of "the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit." I wanted to watch her and learn from her. I wanted to soak up some of her joy. I wanted to emulate her patience. I wanted her glow.

What words would someone use to describe me if they were to watch me with my easy kids and minor problems?  Joy?  Patience?  I doubt it. Do I smile very often?  Do I ever smile in the midst of a trial?  Um....no.

That sweet lady has been on my mind ever since I saw her shining face. I hope that I never forget her. And I hope that I will develop the same kind of gentle and quiet spirit that was so appealing to me and, more importantly, is very precious in the sight of God.

"But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." (1 Peter 3:4)

Dec
07

advent calendar (in a bag)

I wanted to do an advent calendar with the kids last year, but I forgot until it was too late. Big shocker. This year, I remembered....on the very last day of November.

A zillion other tasks were calling for my attention, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that my kids are only young once, while dusty furniture and dirty dishes will always be around. Instead of giving up on the idea again (very tempting), I decided to throw a little something together.

It was so worth it.

The kids have had a great time opening their simple gift each day, which is why I wanted to go ahead and share how I put the "calendars" together. It's a little late to do one for the entire month of December, but why not do a "two weeks until Christmas" calendar? Or maybe twelve days? One last week?

I have a strong feeling that my kiddos are going to be asking for this again next year. Memories are being made. Traditions are being started. Those are priceless gifts worth creating.

For this project I used:
Candy (for two kids I used two bags of Hershey's Kisses and a box of candy canes)
Fabric
String
Number tags
Gift bag

I started by roughly cutting some leftover fabric into squares. Actually, mine were rectangles that measured about 7-inches by 8-inches. You could also use tissue paper (I didn't happen to have any on hand.)



I randomly put three or four pieces of candy on each fabric square. Half the fun is seeing how many pieces they get each day.



Then, I tied them with the string. It is much easier to tie the packs closed with a knot before trying to attach the numbers. Unless, of course, you happen to be coordinated. I am not.



I printed out some numbers in a cool font, cut them into little tags, and punched a hole near the top of each one. Then I tied them onto each pack or candy cane.



After using all my brain power to think of a cute box or basket to hold the packets, I finally grabbed two matching gift bags and tossed the goodies inside. Easy.

I hope you have a fun time making memories with your kids this year. There's just eighteen more candies....I mean days....until Christmas!

This post is linked to Raising Homemakers.

Nov
18

blue love

Sister and brother.


Best friends.


Blue. Together. Forever.

Have a happy weekend!

Nov
16

operation christmas child

Every year I say I'm gonna do it. And every year I forget about it until it's too late.

But not this year. This year I did it. I didn't wait too long, and I didn't forget.
(Thanks for the reminder, Mom!)

For the very first time, we are participating in Operation Christmas Child. It has been soooo much fun. Basically, you fill a box with cool stuff for a kiddo somewhere around the world. You get the joy of giving, and they get the joy of opening a wonderful Christmas gift and learning about Jesus (the best gift of all, of course). If you aren't familiar with Operation Christmas Child, I'd encourage you to click over to the Samaritan's Purse website for more detailed info.

We started with six shoeboxes, three for boys and three for girls. Mackenzie and Riley had a blast shopping for way too many goodies to fit into our few boxes.

First, we wrapped the boxes in some festive paper. The base and lid must be wrapped separately.


Then, we put in the practical items that I didn't want to be forgotten if we ran out of room. In went the toothpaste and toothbrushes, the pencils and sharpeners, the crayons and colored pencils, and the paper.

Next went the favorite toys.

Baby dolls and Legos.


Soccer balls and air pumps.

Some things were able to be taken out of their packages, and the balls were deflated. I didn't want to waste our limited space on cardboard and air.

We filled in the gaps with more toys, candy, and gum.


Finally, the kids added something personal. They both wrote letters and drew pictures. We also included a photo and our address, so they'll hopefully get a letter back.


Then, the lid was put on top and a rubber band held it all together. I printed out a barcode from Samaritan's Purse so we can know exactly where our boxes are going. While I was online, I also donated seven dollars per box to cover the shipping costs.

In a couple days I'll drive our boxes over to the drop-off location (also found online). This is the week for dropping them off at the collection sites, so you can still join the fun.
You have until November 21.

It's not too late to give, and it's so worth it.

I want my children to have hearts for the world. I want them to care about those who are poor and lost and hurting. I could spend all day telling them about the joy of giving to those in need, but no amount of explaining could help them understand it for themselves.

Now, they've felt it. They've experienced it. And we've all been changed by it.

Does your family give to Operation Christmas Child or some other ministry?
Please tell us about it!